Liquid applicator

Abstract

An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin. The applicator includes a porous dome, a chamber under the dome, a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir containing the liquid, and a tube from the squeeze bottle to the chamber. The porous dome has pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action. The chamber provides a location for liquid in position to be transported into dome. Increased pressure in the reservoir from squeezing the bottle causes liquid to flow from the reservoir through the tube to the chamber, and decreased pressure in the reservoir from releasing the bottle causes excess liquid in the chamber to flow from the chamber through the tube to the reservoir. The applicator can include a squeeze bottle having a relatively rigid molded open-end portion connected to a porous dome and an integral flexible, blow-molded reservoir portion that can be squeezed to a reduced volume condition to deliver liquid to the dome and has memory to return to an unsqueezed volume condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action, said dome having a generally circular shape,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome, said chamber having a central portion and an outer annular portion that radially surrounds said central portion,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir, said tube communicating with said central portion of said chamber so as to provide radial flow between said central portion and said outer annular portion all of the way around said central portion, said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube.  
     
     
       2. The applicator of  claim 1  further comprising a valve operable to block flow through said tube. 
     
     
       3. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir, said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube,  
       further comprising a valve operable to block flow through said tube,  
       further comprising a cap that is connectable to said squeeze bottle, said cap covering said dome and causing said valve to be closed when said cap is connected to said squeeze bottle.  
     
     
       4. The applicator of  claim 1  further comprising a dome adapter located between said squeeze bottle and said porous dome, and wherein said chamber is defined by said dome adapter and said porous dome. 
     
     
       5. The applicator of  claim 4  wherein said dome adapter has a central passage and a valve structure at the bottom of said central passage, said valve structure being in fluid communication with said tube. 
     
     
       6. The applicator of  claim 1  further comprising a bottle adapter connected to said bottle, and wherein said porous dome is movably mounted with respect to said bottle adapter. 
     
     
       7. The applicator of  claim 6  wherein said bottle adapter has a central portion sealably connected to said tube, and an opening in communication with said tube. 
     
     
       8. The applicator of  claim 7  further comprising a dome adapter, and wherein said chamber is defined by said dome adapter and said porous dome, and wherein said dome adapter has a central passage and a valve structure at the bottom of said central passage, said valve structure interacting with said opening to permit or block fluid communication between said chamber and said reservoir. 
     
     
       9. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir, said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube,  
       further comprising a bottle adapter connected to said bottle, and wherein said porous dome is movably mounted with respect to said bottle adapter,  
       wherein said bottle adapter has a central portion sealably connected to said tube, and an opening in communication with said tube,  
       further comprising a dome adapter, and wherein said chamber is defined by said dome adapter and said porous dome, and wherein said dome adapter has a central passage and a valve structure at the bottom of said central passage, said valve structure interacting with said opening to permit or block fluid communication between said chamber and said reservoir,  
       further comprising a cap that is connectable to said squeeze bottle, said cap covering said dome and causing said valve structure to close said opening when said cap is connected to said squeeze bottle.  
     
     
       10. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir, said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube,  
       further comprising a bottle adapter connected to said bottle, and wherein said porous dome is movably mounted with respect to said bottle adapter,  
       wherein said bottle adapter has a central portion sealably connected to said tube, and an opening in communication with said tube,  
       further comprising a dome adapter, and wherein said chamber is defined by said dome adapter and said porous dome, and wherein said dome adapter has a central passage and a valve structure at the bottom of said central passage, said valve structure interacting with said opening to permit or block fluid communication between said chamber and said reservoir,  
       further comprising a spring biasing said valve structure away from said opening.  
     
     
       11. The applicator of  claim 10 , wherein said spring is mounted between said bottle adapter and said dome adapter. 
     
     
       12. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir,  
       wherein said chamber and said porous dome are dimensioned and shaped so as to provide preferential blooming of said liquid at the center of the dome first and subsequent blooming of liquid closer to the periphery of the dome.  
     
     
       13. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir,  
       wherein said chamber and said porous dome are dimensioned and shaped so as to provide preferential blooming of said liquid at the center of the dome first and subsequent blooming of liquid closer to the periphery of the dome,  
       wherein said chamber has a central volume area that communicates with said tube, a peripheral volume area, and constricted region connecting the central volume area to the peripheral volume area to provide said preferential blooming.  
     
     
       14. The applicator of  claim 13  wherein said porous dome has a stepped recess surface with a central recess that provides said central volume area and, a peripheral recess that provides said peripheral volume area. 
     
     
       15. The applicator of  claim 13  wherein said dome is made of sintered high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
       16. The applicator of  claim 8  further comprising a collar that connects said dome adapter to said dome. 
     
     
       17. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action and a dome peripheral edge,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir, said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube,  
       further comprising a bottle adapter connected to said bottle, and wherein said porous dome is movably mounted with respect to said bottle adapter,  
       wherein said bottle adapter has a central portion sealably connected to said tube, and an opening in communication with said tube,  
       further comprising a dome adapter having a dome adapter peripheral edge, and wherein said chamber is defined by said dome adapter and said porous dome, and wherein said dome adapter has a central passage and a valve structure at the bottom of said central passage, said valve structure interacting with said opening to permit or block fluid communication between said chamber and said reservoir,  
       further comprising a collar that is connected to said dome adapter peripheral edge, said dome peripheral edge being sandwiched between said collar and said dome adapter peripheral edge,  
       wherein said collar slidably contacts said bottle adapter.  
     
     
       18. The applicator of  claim 17  wherein said dome adapter includes a sliding seal with said bottle adapter around said opening. 
     
     
       19. The applicator of  claim 6  wherein said bottle adapter snaps onto said squeeze bottle. 
     
     
       20. The applicator of  claim 1  wherein said porous dome is made of sintered plastic. 
     
     
       21. An applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therein by capillary action,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid wider said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected between said reservoir and said chamber such that increased pressure in said reservoir from squeezing said bottle causes liquid to flow from said reservoir to said chamber, and decreased pressure in said reservoir from releasing said bottle causes excess liquid in said chamber to flow from said chamber to said reservoir, said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube,  
       wherein said porous dome is made of sintered plastic,  
       wherein said sintered plastic is made of round particles.  
     
     
       22. The applicator of  claim 20  wherein said sintered plastic has an average pore size between 10 and 30 microns. 
     
     
       23. A liquid applicator for local application of a liquid to a person's skin comprising 
       a porous dome having pores sized to provide liquid transport therethrough by capillary action, said dome having a generally circular shape,  
       a chamber under said porous dome for containing said liquid in position to be transported into said dome, said chamber having a central portion and an outer annular portion that radially surrounds said central portion,  
       a squeeze bottle providing a reservoir of said liquid under said chamber, said dome being mounted on said squeeze bottle, and  
       a tube connected to direct liquid from said reservoir to said dome,  
       said tube being an elongated tube that extends through and near to the bottom of the reservoir, and is sealed to said chamber so as to allow only liquid to flow from said reservoir into said chamber and to require it to flow through said tube, said tube communicating with said central portion of said chamber so as to provide radial flow between said central portion and said outer annular portion all of the way around said central portion,  
       wherein said bottle includes a relatively rigid molded open-end portion connected to said dome and an integral flexible, blow-molded reservoir portion that can be squeezed to a reduced volume condition to deliver liquid to said dome and has memory to return to an unsqueezed volume condition.  
     
     
       24. The applicator of  claim 23  wherein said bottle is made of polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
       25. The applicator of  claim 23  further comprising a bottle adapter connected to said open-end portion of said bottle, and wherein said porous dome is movably mounted with respect to said bottle adapter. 
     
     
       26. The applicator of  claim 25  wherein said bottle adapter snaps onto said squeeze bottle.